Quince ‘Vranja’

Native to rocky slopes in Southwestern Asia, quinces are attractive small, rounded trees with knarled and slightly contorted branches. The stems are clothed in shallow bowl-shaped, pale pink to white flowers in late spring, and these are followed by very fragrant pale green, pear-like fruits. These ripen in autumn to a golden yellow, and grow up to 8cm long. They are too bitter and hard to eat fresh, but when cooked the flesh softens and turns pink and makes a delicious jam. It is a very hardy plant, but it needs warmth and sun to fruit well, so in colder climates it is best trained against a south facing wall. It works well in oriental style gardens and it has received the Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.